TL;DR: Which Image AI Should You Use?

For portraits and headshots: Nano Banana (optimized for faces) For product photography: Midjourney (better composition control) For creative and artistic work: Midjourney (more style options) For LinkedIn/dating photos:Nano Banana (portrait specialist) For e-commerce: Midjourney (product focus) Reality: Many need both depending on project type

The honest answer: Midjourney and Nano Banana serve different needs. Nano Banana dominates portraits. Midjourney wins everything else.

If you're creating headshots, dating profiles, or LinkedIn photos, Nano Banana is purpose-built for this. For product shots, artistic work, or anything non-portrait, Midjourney is better.

This guide tells you exactly which tool to use for your specific project.

Quick Decision Guide

Use Nano Banana when creating:

• Professional headshots

• Dating profile photos

• LinkedIn profile pictures

• Portrait photography

• Social media profile pics

• Any photo with human faces as primary subject

Use Midjourney when creating:

• Product photography

• Brand imagery

• Creative artwork

• Architectural visualization

• Landscape and environment shots

• Conceptual designs

• Anything without faces as main focus

Head-to-Head Comparison

Portrait Quality

Professional Headshots:

1. Nano Banana - Purpose-built, best facial details

2. Midjourney - Good but not specialized

Dating Profile Photos:

1. Nano Banana - Optimized for this exact use case

2. Midjourney - Can work but less natural

LinkedIn Professional Photos:

1. Nano Banana - Corporate portrait specialist

2. Midjourney - Decent but Nano Banana better

Winner: Nano Banana for all portrait work

Product Photography

E-commerce White Background:

1. Midjourney - Better background control, clean results

2. Nano Banana - Not designed for product shots

Lifestyle Product Photos:

1. Midjourney - Better composition and context

2. Nano Banana - Not optimized for this

Technical Product Shots:

1. Midjourney - Precise angle and lighting control

2. Nano Banana - Not designed for products

Winner: Midjourney for all product photography

Creative and Artistic Work

Conceptual Art:

1. Midjourney - Massive style library, artistic range

2. Nano Banana - Limited to portrait styles

Brand Imagery:

1. Midjourney - Better aesthetic control

2. Nano Banana - Only if portraits needed

Illustration:

1. Midjourney - Wide style range

2. Nano Banana - Not designed for illustration

Winner: Midjourney for creative work

Real Use Cases

Personal Branding

LinkedIn Profile Photo: Best tool: Nano Banana Why: Optimized for professional corporate portraits Prompt focus:"LinkedIn professional headshot, confident approachable expression, business casual attire, neutral background"

Personal Website About Photo: Best tool: Nano Banana (if portrait) or Midjourney (if creative/artistic) Why: Depends on brand personality Nano Banana for: Professional consultants, coaches, executives Midjourney for: Creative professionals, artists, designers

Dating and Social

Dating App Photos: Best tool: Nano Banana Why: Specifically optimized for dating profile quality Prompt focus:Natural lighting, genuine expressions, various settings

Instagram Profile Pic: Best tool: Nano Banana (if face primary) or Midjourney (if artistic/branded) Why: Depends on account purpose Nano Banana for: Personal accounts, influencers Midjourney for: Brand accounts, creative portfolios

Business and E-commerce

Product Listings (Amazon, Shopify): Best tool: Midjourney Why: Better control over lighting, angles, backgroundsPrompt focus: Clean white backgrounds, precise product positioning, commercial photography aesthetic

Team Photos for Website: Best tool: Nano Banana Why: Consistent professional headshot quality across team Prompt focus: Uniform lighting and style, professional corporate aesthetic

Brand Social Media Content: Best tool: Midjourney Why: More creative flexibility, matches brand guidelines Prompt focus: Brand-specific aesthetics, marketing imagery

Creative Projects

Book Covers: Best tool: Midjourney Why: Artistic range, conceptual capabilities Prompt focus: Genre-appropriate styles, professional publishing quality

Album Artwork: Best tool: Midjourney Why: Creative flexibility, artistic styles Prompt focus: Music genre aesthetics, unique visual identity

Marketing Illustrations: Best tool: Midjourney Why: Better for non-portrait illustration Prompt focus: Brand alignment, specific illustration styles

Honest Strengths and Weaknesses

Nano Banana

What it's genuinely better at:

• Human faces and expressions

• Natural-looking portraits

• Professional headshot quality

• Dating profile optimization

• Corporate portrait aesthetics

• Facial lighting and detail

What it struggles with:

• Non-portrait subjects

• Product photography

• Abstract concepts

• Creative illustration

• Environments without people

• Anything not face-focused

When to use Nano Banana: Need photos of people, especially professional or dating contexts. Portrait is primary subject.

When NOT to use Nano Banana: Creating anything without faces as main focus. Product shots, landscapes, abstract art, brand imagery.

Midjourney

What it's genuinely better at:

• Product photography

• Creative artwork

• Style diversity (hundreds of aesthetics)

• Composition control

• Complex scenes

• Non-portrait subjects

What it struggles with:

• Competing with Nano Banana on portrait quality

• Specific facial features (less portrait-optimized)

• Dating/LinkedIn portrait specialization

When to use Midjourney: Everything except portrait-primary work. Products, creative, brand imagery, illustration, environments.

When NOT to use Midjourney: When Nano Banana's portrait specialization would give better results (headshots, dating photos, LinkedIn pics).

Prompt Differences

Portrait Prompts

Nano Banana approach:

Key differences:

• Automatically optimizes for portrait quality

• Less technical direction needed

• Focus on expression and context

• Background handling automatic

Midjourney approach:

Key differences:

• Requires more technical specification

• Style references helpful

• Lighting direction needed

• Aspect ratio control

Product Prompts

Midjourney approach:

Key differences:

• Precise technical control

• Background specification critical

• Lighting direction detailed

• Commercial photography focus

Nano Banana:

• Not designed for product photography

• Use Midjourney instead

Cost Comparison

Nano Banana Pricing

Free tier: Limited generations Paid tier: ~$10-20/month Best for: Casual portrait needs, testing

Worth paying for if: Creating multiple professional photos (headshots, dating profiles, social media)

Midjourney Pricing

No free tier Basic: ~$10/month (limited generations) Standard: ~$30/month (unlimited relaxed) Pro: ~$60/month (unlimited fast)

Worth paying for if: Regular creative or commercial work, product photography, brand imagery

Which to pay for?

If you primarily need portraits: Nano Banana (cheaper, specialized) If you need diverse image creation: Midjourney (more versatile) Many professionals: Both (use each for its strength)

Common Questions

Can Midjourney make good portraits?

Yes, but not as optimized as Nano Banana. For casual portraits Midjourney works fine. For professional headshots, dating photos, LinkedIn where quality matters, Nano Banana better.

Can Nano Banana make product photos?

Not designed for this. Stick to Midjourney for any product photography.

Which tool has better image quality?

Different question than "better results." Both produce high-resolution images. Nano Banana better for portraits, Midjourney better for everything else.

Do I need both?

Depends on needs. If you only create portraits, just Nano Banana. If you create diverse imagery, get Midjourney. Professional creators often have both.

Which is easier to use?

Nano Banana simpler for portraits (less technical knowledge needed). Midjourney more complex but more powerful.

Can I try both before buying?

Nano Banana has limited free tier. Midjourney no free tier but offers affordable basic plan. Test with small projects first.

Which has better prompting?

Midjourney more sophisticated prompting (technical control). Nano Banana simpler (portrait-optimized defaults). Not better or worse, different approaches.

Do they work the same way?

No. Nano Banana optimized for portrait workflow. Midjourney general-purpose image generation. Different tools for different jobs.

When to Use Both

Smart workflows combine tools:

Personal Brand Package:

1. Nano Banana: Professional headshot

2. Midjourney: Brand imagery and website graphics

3. Nano Banana: Additional lifestyle portraits

4. Midjourney: Social media templates

E-commerce Store:

1. Midjourney: Product photos (white background, lifestyle shots)

2. Nano Banana: Team page headshots

3. Midjourney: Marketing imagery

4. Nano Banana: Customer testimonial photos

Creative Portfolio:

1. Nano Banana: About page portrait

2. Midjourney: All creative work samples

3. Midjourney: Case study imagery

4. Nano Banana: Additional professional photos

Related Reading

Image Generation:

• Midjourney & DALL-E Image Prompts 2026: From Concept to Perfect Visual Output - Comprehensive image prompting

Mistakes:

• Image Generation Prompt Mistakes 2026: Why Your Midjourney & Nano Banana Prompts Fail - Troubleshooting

Templates:

• AI Prompt Templates Library 2026: 50+ Ready-to-Use Prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Midjourney, Nano Banana & Sora - Image templates

www.topfreeprompts.com

Access 80,000+ professionally engineered prompts for Midjourney and Nano Banana. Every prompt indicates which tool works best for that specific image type, helping you choose the right tool for each project.